Bri Kidder served up milkshakes with a smile from behind the 4-H food stand window on Thursday, the opening day of the Sheboygan County Fair.

The 4-H workers didn't start serving hot food until noon that day, but that didn't deter people from stopping by 17-year-old Kidder's side of the stand as early as 10 a.m. to pick up a tasty treat before their midday meal.

"It's very popular," Kidder said of the milkshakes she continued to hand out. "I like doing the chocolate-mint shake. ...Anyone could get it, but most people don't know to try it."

A pair of beef cattle get in a nap at the Sheboygan County Fair Saturday August 30, 2014 in Plymouth. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)

Ethan Schuette, 6, his dad Russ and his sister Elsa,4, all of Sheboygan Falls wait to be unloaded from the Ferris Wheel at the Sheboygan County Fair Saturday August 30, 2014 in Plymouth. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)

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It's one of the favorite stops for fairgoers as 4-H volunteers go through an estimated 64 gallons of milkshake mix during the fair, which ends today.

In addition, they serve approximately 2,700 baked potatoes — their other most popular item — throughout the course of the fair each year, said Bridgett Neu, manager of the food stand.

The food stand is the 4-H program's biggest fundraiser for the year, drawing in approximately $20,000 for educational programming that takes place throughout the year, said 4-H Youth Development Educator Sarah Tarjeson.

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4-H'r Leah Samet of the Mosel 4-H club waits for a customer at the Sheboygan County Fair Saturday August 30, 2014 in Plymouth.(Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)

Every 4-H club in the county is responsible for making sure the operation is a success, said Tarjeson. The stand is staffed with more than 400 4-H youth, representing 33 different clubs, each working at least one of five 2- to 3-hour shifts throughout the day.

Nikita Hahn, 11, worked in the stand over the lunch hour on Friday. Her favorite job when working the 4-H food stand is handling the milkshake machines, she said.

"I was doing that before," Hahn said, "but right now I'm waiting for people to say 'Milk,' and then I get the milk out and hand it to them."

Despite it not being her favorite task, the job wasn't a bad one to have during one of the busiest times of the day, she acknowledged.

Kidder said she enjoys helping out in the food stand in a variety of capacities. She's been involved with 4-H for 12 years, and for more than half of those years, she's spent at least a couple hours annually helping out in the food stand.

She ended her shift on Thursday just before the noontime rush, but it's a shift she's experienced in the past.

"It gets pretty busy, pretty hectic around 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.," Kidder said. "It gets busy, but it's fun to see all the new faces."

— Reach Kali Thiel at 920-453-5134

Margaret Frehler of Appleton, her son Daniel Miller and her grandson Stephen Miller pose by a game booth Friday August 29, 2014 in Plymouth. The three generations have been involved in the carnival business for years. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)